Coffee Cake

This cake does not have too much of sweetness. If you want more sweet, then you can increase the amount of sugar.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup Cake flour

½ cup sugar

½ cup butter at room temperature

2 eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup coarse cashew powder

½ cup cream or milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon lemon zest

Method

Ø  Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and dust the flour to the loaf pan and keep aside.

Ø  In a medium bowl, combine cake flour and baking powder. Sift flour and baking powder together and keep aside.

Ø  In a large bowl, mix sugar and butter using hand mixer or stand mixer until nice and creamy texture. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well till gets nice and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and beat for few seconds.

Ø  Slowly add the flour mixture. Just add half of the mixture and mix them. Then add ¼ cup milk. Once the milk cooperated with the mixture, add the remaining flour, mix and then add the remaining milk. Mix well.

Ø  Remove it from the mixer, add lemon zest and nuts. Just fold them gently with spatula. Finally, add chocolate chips and fold it.

Ø  Pour into the prepared loaf pan; bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cake and slice them.

Carrot Cake Picture

I made this 2 layer 9” carrot cake with vanilla buttercream frosting for my daughter’s 1^st birthday. I just want to add the picture of the cake. Generally, carrot cake comes with cream cheese frosting. But, I don’t like cream cheese frosting. That’s why I tried with buttercream frosting. Carrot cake with butter cream frosting taste is also good.

 

Egg Kurma

Ingredients

5 boiled eggs

1 onion, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

2 green chillies

1 teaspoon ginger/garlic paste

½ cup coconut

8 whole cashews

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon garam masala powder

4 cloves

1 inch cinnamon stick

4 cardamoms

Salt, curry leaves, cilantro

1 tablespoon oil

Method

Ø  Soak cashew nuts and poppy seeds for 5 minutes. Grind with coconut and make a coarse paste.

Ø  Heat oil in a pan, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and curry leaves. Then add onion and green chillies and sauté till translucent. Add ginger and garlic paste, sauté till raw smell goes away.

Ø  Add tomatoes, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.  Cover and cook till the oil separated.

Ø  Add ground masala, water and garam masala. Let it boil for few minutes. Once it is boiled well, add egg and salt. Simmer the flame and cover the pan for 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

 

Chocolate Mousse Napoleon

Ingredients

2 cups chocolate ganache cooled and slightly chilled but still fluid
1 store-bought frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for an hour
2 pints fresh raspberries, halved

Method

Ø  Preheat the oven to 400° and have an oven rack in the center of the oven.

Ø  Whip 1 ¾ cups of ganache using stand-mixer or hand mixer on high-speed until it is thick and holds a peak, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Ø  Place the whipped ganache in a large pastry bag fitted with a plain tip and reserve. (If no pastry bag is available, fill a gallon-size plastic storage bag and cut a small piece of the tip off with scissors).

Ø  Lay the puff pastry sheet out on a cutting board. Pierce it all over with a fork. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 6 rectangles. Transfer the dough to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper, spacing them about an inch apart. Top the dough with a second sheet of parchment paper. Place an inverted wire rack or another tray directly on top of the parchment paper. Place in the oven on the middle rack until the dough is slightly puffed, golden brown in color, and is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the puff pastry pieces to a wire rack to cool. Once fully cooled, using a knife, split the rectangles into 12 halves.

Ø  To build the Napoleons: place a puff layer on the serving plate. Pipe a thin layer of whipped ganache and top with a single layer of raspberries. Top with another puff pastry rectangle. Repeat with a second layer of mousse and raspberries. Top with a third puff pastry rectangle, exterior side up. Using a small, off-set spatula, glaze with about 2 tablespoons of the reserved ganache. Repeat to build 3 more Napoleons.

Chocolate ganache

I have taken this recipe from Simply Ming and adjust the ingredients according to my taste.

Ingredients

1½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
½ lb. semisweet chocolate

1 tablespoon sugar

Method

Ø  In a sauce pan, mix the sugar and cream. Heat this mixture, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar and avoid burning sugar on the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to just below a simmer.

Ø  Combine the butter and the chocolate in another bowl, pour the cream over the cream mixture. Let it stand for at least 2 minutes, then stir with a rubber spatula until the ingredients are fully combined and the mixture is smooth.

Ø  You can refrigerate for several weeks.

Village Style Chicken Curry

Ingredients

2 lbs. Chicken

1 big onion

2 vine ripe tomatoes

2 teaspoons ginger/garlic paste

¾ cup coconut

1 teaspoon curry masala powder

2 teaspoons red chilli powder

3 teaspoons coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

4 cloves

1 inch cinnamon stick

4 cardamoms

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

Curry leaves

2 tablespoons oil

Method

Ø  Grind coconut and poppy seeds and make a coarse paste.

Ø  Heat oil in a pan, add cinnamon, cardamom, clove, fennel seeds and curry leaves. Add onion and sauté until gets nice and golden color. Then, add ginger garlic paste and mix well with onion.

Ø  Reduce the flame, add chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and curry masala powder. Mix well and cook till raw smell goes away.

Ø  Add the chicken, increase the heat to medium high flame and coat the masala with the chicken. Add coconut paste and 2 cups of water (or increase the amount of water), salt. Cover and cook till 90% done.

Ø  Then, add tomatoes, cover and cook for few more minutes, till done. Open the lid, mix well and add some more curry leaves.

Ø  Serve with rice, chappathi, idi or dosa.

Garlic Potato Fry

Ingredients

1 lb. potatoes

3 garlics

1 ½ teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt, curry leaves, mustard

2 tablespoons oil

Method

Ø  Cut potatoes into ½ inch cubes. Wash thoroughly with running water to remove the starch. Cut garlic into 2 pieces.

Ø  Heat oil in a frying pan, add mustard and curry leaves. Once it is getting popped, add garlic and potatoes. Fry till half done.

Ø  Then, add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cover and mix it for every 3 to 4 minutes till crisp.

Ø  Serve hot with rice and sambar.

Brussels Sprout Fry

Ingredients

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

1 medium onion

7 green chillies

½ cup coconut

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt, curry leaves, mustard seeds

1 tablespoon oil

Method

Ø  Cut Brussels sprouts into 8 slices. Grind coconut, cumin, green chillies and turmeric powder coarsely.

Ø  Heat oil in a pan; add mustard, curry leaves. Once they are getting splattered add onion, sauté until translucent. Add Brussels sprouts, mix well with onion. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until done.

Ø  Once done add ground masala and salt. Mix well for few minutes, till the raw smell of masala goes away.

Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients

1 lb. paneer

1 big onion

2 tomatoes

1 teaspoon ginger/garlic paste

2 teaspoon chilli powder

3 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon kasoori methi

1 teaspoon garam masala

½ cup fresh cream

4 tablespoons butter

4 cloves

4 cardamoms

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 mace

Salt to taste

Cilantro, oil

Method

Ø  Deep fry paneer and keep aside. If the paneer is fresh then it is not required to fry.

Ø  Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan, fry onion and keep aside. Heat another tablespoon of oil in a same pan, fry tomato and keep aside.

Ø  Cool and grind onion and tomato and make a smooth paste.

Ø  Heat 3 tbsps. butter in a sauté pan, fry clove, cinnamon, mace and cardamom. Add g/g paste and fry well. Add onion paste. Fr till raw smell goes away.

Ø  Add all powders. Stir it and add salt.

Ø  Add fried paneer. Fry for a minute then add a cup of water. Boil it.

Ø  Add fresh cream, stir it. Let the cream mix with the gravy and add crushed kasoori methi. Top it with 1 tbsp. butter and garnish with cilantro.

Mutton Bone Curry

This consistency of this curry is very thin, like rasam. So, you can add large amount of water.

Ingredients

1 lb. mutton bones

1 medium chopped onion

1 chopped tomato

1 ½ teaspoon red chilli powder

1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder

1 ½ teaspoon fennel powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

¾ teaspoon ginger paste

¾ teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

¾ cup coconut

Salt to taste

Curry leaves, cilantro

3 tablespoons oil

Method

Ø  Grind coconut and poppy seeds and make a nice paste.

Ø  Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add curry leaves, onion fry till onion gets nice and golden color. Add tomato, ginger paste and garlic paste. Sauté well till tomato gets soft

Ø  Add bones, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and fennel powder.  Mix well. Add coconut paste, water and salt.  Just boil for couple of minutes, and close the lid. Pressure cook for 5 whistles.

Ø  Once the steam is released, garnish with cilantro.

Mutton Ghee Roast

Ingredients

11/2 lb. mutton

1 medium chopped onion

5 minced shallots

3 chopped green chillies

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

2 teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

4 cardamoms

2 inch stick cinnamon

5 cloves

1 ½ teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon peppercorns

½ cup coconut

¼ cup water

Salt to taste

Curry leaves, cilantro

3 tablespoons ghee

Method

Ø  Dry roast cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds, pepper and cumin seeds. Make a powder with poppy seeds. Grind coconut and make a fine paste.

Ø  In a pressure cooker, combine mutton, chilli powder, coriander, powder, turmeric powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, chopped onion, coconut paste, masala powder, salt and water. Pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles.

Ø  Heat ghee in another sauté pan, add curry leaves, shallots and green chillies. Sauté till onion gets nice and golden brown. Once getting nice color, add cooked mutton mixture and sauté till the water evaporated.

Ø  Garnish with cilantro.

Channa Kara Kuzhambu

                               

Ingredients

1 cup kabuli channa dal

1 medium onion

1 tomato

1 teaspoon chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 ½ teaspoon sambar powder

½ cup coconut

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

7 whole cashews

1 tablespoon channa dal

1 tablespoon toor dal

½ lemon size tamarind

½ teaspoon fenugreek

½ teaspoon mustard

½ teaspoon urad dal

5 whole red chillies

½ teaspoon asafoetida

3 tablespoons sesame oil

Salt to taste

Curry leaves, cilantro

Method

Ø  Soak channa dal overnight and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Grind coconut, cashew and poppy seeds and make a coarse paste.

Ø  Heat oil in a 3 qt. sauté pan, add asafetida, mustard, urad dal, fenugreek, curry leaves and whole red chillies. Once mustard popped up, add onion and sauté till golden brown.

Ø  Add cooked channa dal, channa dal and toor dal. Mix thoroughly. After mixing well, add red chilli powder, coriander powder, sambar powder and turmeric powder. Mix and cook, until raw smell goes away. Add ground paste and salt with required amount of water. Mix well.

Ø  When the masala coats well with channa dal, add tomato and cook till tomatoe becomes soft. Finally, add tamarind pulp and boil few minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Ø  Serve hot with rice, chappathi, roti, idli and dosa

Mushroom Cutlet

It is a crispy, hot and easy to prepare vegetable snack.

 

Health Tip

Mushrooms can improve immunity, reduce heart disease, and even fight and reverse cancer. Eating mushrooms regularly over long periods of time has been proven to actually decrease the number of cancerous cells in the body. So, eat mushrooms regularly.

Ingredients

1 cup grated Carrot

1 cup grated Beetroot

1 cup chopped Mushroom

1 cup chopped Onion

1 cup mashed Potato

2 green chillies

1” ginger piece

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp. chilli powder

½ tsp. coriander powder

½ tsp. cumin powder

½ tsp. garam masala powder

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

Curry leave, cilantro

1 tsp. wheat or all-purpose flour

1 cup water

Salt to taste

Oil  

 Method  

Ø  Crush the ginger, garlic, and green chillies together and keep it aside

Ø  Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion, carrot, beetroot mushroom and crushed ginger, garlic. Add curry leaves also.

Ø  Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and cook the vegetable.

Ø  Once the vegetable is done, sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves into it. Remove the vegetables from the stove.

Ø  Mix the mashed potato with the cooked vegetable.

Ø  Take a little veg-mix in your hand and press it to give the shape of a cutlet.

 

Ø  Keep ready a dipping solution prepared of wheat flour mixed in water. Dip the cutlets in the above prepared solution one by one and roll it in bread crumbs.

Ø  Deep fry them till nice and golden brown. Do not stir the cutlets immediately after putting them into the oil.

Mushroom Omelet

                

Ingredients

6 mushrooms (chopped)

10 shallots (chopped)

½ teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

1 tablespoon milk or water

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons butter

Method

Ø  Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan, sauté onion, mushroom and salt. Keep aside.

Ø  Beat egg, milk, salt and pepper.

Ø  Heat butter in an omelet pan; pour the egg mixture, top with mushroom. Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook till the bottom gets golden brown. Turn it, cook for couple more minutes. Don’t put the lid on after turn the omelet. Remove it. Transfer to a serving plate.

 

Note:

Instead of mushroom, you can add any or more than one vegetable and make vegetable omelet.

 

 

Mushroom green pepper masala

                             

Ingredients

16 oz. mushroom

5 shallots

2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon ginger/garlic paste

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ cup coconut

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ bunch cilantro

¼ bunch mint leaves

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons oil

Method

Ø  Grind coconut, shallots, cumin, pepper, cilantro and mint leaves together and make a coarse paste.

Ø  Boil 3 cups of water in a sauce pan, add mushroom and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove it and strain the water. Keep aside.

Ø  Heat oil in a sauté pan; add ground masala, ginger, garlic paste, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Sauté until the raw smell goes away.  Once done add mushroom and salt, mix well till the masala coats the mushroom.  Splash water, if required. Cook for couple more minutes.

Ø  Serve hot with chappathi, rotis and rice.